John e



J. E. KLINE.

OAR COUPLING.

Patented Dec. 30, 1890.

- U Ni*rsn STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

JOHN E. KLINE, OF UNION CENTRE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOIVILLIAM F. REDMAN, JOHN GALBREATH, AND JOHN IV. REDMAN, ALL

OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,597, dated December30, 1890. Application filed August 23, 1890. Serial No. 362,813. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. KLINE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Union Centre, in the count-y of Cumberland and State ofIllinois, have invented a new and useful Car-Coupling, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to car-con plin gs, and more especially to thatclass thereof known as draw-heads, the object of the invention being toprovide a vertically-movable drawhead which will accommodate itself toother draw-heads of different heights, said drawhead containing couplingdevices, all as hereinafter specifically described, and illustrated inthe drawings, in which Figure l is a plan View of a portion of adraw-bar and the Whole of the draw-head of myimproved construction,showing a link as locked therein. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section ofthe same with the draw-head slightly raised above a horizontal line andthe linkcatch elevated. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail of the draw-headand its operating devices.

Referring to the said drawings, letter B designates a draw-bar, which issuitably sup ported beneath the car-body and has a deep recess R at itsfront end, and the letter H designates the draw-head of approximatelythe same size in cross-section as the draw-bar and having a tongue T atits rear end, which fits loosely in said recess R. Keyed in the tongue Tand journaled through the front end of the draw-bar B each side of saidtongue is a horizontal operating-shaft O, which extends to the right ofthe draw-head and has an operating-handle II on its outer end, standingabout opposite the side of the car. \Vhen this handle is moved, itwillbe obvious that the draw-head will be raised and lowered, turningabout the journals of the rod 0 in the drawbar B.

In the front end of the draw-head is the usual hole for the reception ofthe link, which hole is open in a slot S through the top of thedraw-head. In this slot works a catch K, having a beveled front face,which catch is keyed to a coupling-shaft C,journaled through the sidesof the draw-head, extending to the right parallel with theoperating-shaft O, and

having a weighted handle-lever IV on its outer end. This lever is soarranged with reference to the catch K that when the latter is elevated,as shown in Fig. 2, the weight W will be thrown slightly forward of avertical line and will hold the catch so elevated. When the catch is inits operative position, its tip rests behind a shoulder Q in the bottomof the interior of the draw-head, as shown in Fig. 2, and in thisposition the weight IV tends to hold the catch in place. The operationof coupling by forcing the link into the draw-head, raising the catchthereby, and permitting it to automatically drop into the the link, iswell known in this class of devices and needs no elaboration here.

IVith a draw-head of the above construction and embodying the couplingdevices described, or, in fact, any other sui able coup ling deviceswhich maybe used in this connection, a car can be coupled to another carwhose draw-head is higher or lower without the use of the bent linksheretofore necessary, which links were hard to find when most wanted,liable to become lost after they were used, and at all times much weakerthan an ordinary straight link and considerably more expensive to make.By operating the handle H from the side of the car the draw-head H canbe raised or lowered, so as to direct the link into a higher or lowerdraw-head or so as to bring this draw-head into position to receive alink carried by the other car. The handle-lever XV may be also operatedfrom the side of the carto engage or disengage the link from thedraw-head; and my improved draw-head may be used with those of any otherconstruction wherein a link is employed.

In some cases I may prefer to substitute for the handle H a lever 1,having an eye 2 in its upper end, and a rod 3 is linked into said eyeand at its other end linked to the short arm 4 of a handle-lever 5,mounted on a pivot 6 in the side of the car. This lever is whichnormally supports the front end of the draw-head also in properposition, all as will be clearly understood.

What isclaimed as new is- 1. In acar-coupling, the combination, withmaintained in proper position by a spring 7, 9 3

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the draw-bar B, having ears at its front end and a recess It betweenthem, of the drawh ead l-Lhaving a rearwardlyextending" tongue '1loosely seated in said recess, an operatingrod 0, journaled through saidears and keyed in said tongue, an operating-handle II on said rod at theside of the car, and coupling devices carried by said head,substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-bar I the draw-headit, having a hole in its front end opening th rough a slot S in its top,said draw-head being pivotally connected to said draw-bar, and means,substantially as described, for raising; and lowering the front end ofthe draw-head around its pivot, of the catch Kin said slot, thecouplingshaft (1, journaled tl'irough the drmv-head and keyed in saidcatch, and a Weighted handlelever \V on the outer end of said shaft, asand for the purpose set forth.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination of the d raw-bar B, the draw-headhinged to the drawbar, having the hole in its front end opening throughthe slot S in its top and provided with the shoulder Q, theoperating-rod O, journaled in the draw-bar and keyed to the draw-head,the coupling-shaft (3, journaled through said draw-head and extending tothe side of the car, a catch K, keyed on said shaft C and adapted torest against said shoulder, and the weighted handle, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-bar B, having earsat its front end and a recess R between them, the draw-head II, having arearwardly-extending tongue '1 loosely seated in said recess, anoperating-rod O, journaled through said ears and keyed in said tongue,and an operating-handle H on the outer end of said rod at one side ofthe draw-head, of the catch K within said drawhead, the coupling-shaftO, journaled through the draw-head and keyed in said catch, and aWeighted handle-lever V on the outer end of said shaft and at the sameside of the d rawhead as said operating-handle, as and for the purposehereinbet'ore set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

.I( 1 I N E. K LIN I). Witnesses:

Anos Noon LAUEY, .ToHN 'L. Lnvmosrtm.

